UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥� The United States on Wednesday vetoed a U.N. resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the because it is not linked to an immediate release of hostages taken captive by Hamas in Israel in October 2023.
The U.N. Security Council voted 14-1 in favor of the resolution sponsored by the 10 elected members on the 15-member council, but it was not adopted because of the U.S. veto.
The resolution that was put to a vote 鈥渄emands an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire to be respected by all parties, and further reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.鈥�
The Security Council in June had adopted aimed at ending the war between Israel and Hamas. The U.S.-sponsored resolution welcomed a cease-fire proposal announced by President Joe Biden that the United States said Israel had accepted. It called on the militant Palestinian group Hamas to accept the three-phase plan 鈥� but the war goes on.
With more than 43,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed, according to its health authority, , especially in the north, and no sign of an end to the war, the council鈥檚 10 elected members decided to focus first on a cease-fire.
Guyana鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett introduced the resolution on behalf of the elected members, saying 鈥淚t was prompted by the council鈥檚 deep concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, including what was unfolding in North Gaza, and the need for an urgent response to that situation.鈥�
She stressed the resolution's demand for immediate access for humanitarian aid deliveries throughout Gaza, and the Security Council鈥檚 primary responsibility to uphold international peace and security and its demands for an immediate cease-fire, and for the release of hostages.
U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said the United States worked for weeks to avoid a veto and expressed regret that compromise language was not accepted.
鈥淲e made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages,鈥� he said. 鈥淗amas would have seen it as a vindication of its cynical strategy to hope and pray the international community forgets about the fate of more than 100 hostages from more than 20 member states who have been held for 410 days.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters shortly before the council meeting that the resolution was 鈥渘othing short of outrage 鈥� a betrayal of the 101 innocent hostages still held by Hamas.鈥� Its adoption, he said, would 鈥渟end a message that terrorists can act with impunity."
Algeria鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative and an elected member of the council, was sharply critical of the U.S. vote and the council鈥檚 failure to take action.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 message is clear to the Israeli occupying power: First you may continue your genocide. You may continue your collective punishment of the Palestinian people with complete impunity. In this chamber, you enjoy immunity,鈥� he said.
Bendjama called the resolution鈥檚 defeat a missed opportunity that will have 鈥渄evastating consequences for the international order.鈥� But he vowed that the elected members will return soon with an even stronger resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which is militarily enforceable 鈥� and they will not stop until the council takes action.
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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press
